Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-25
THE NAMES OF OUR STATES.
Their Various Dsrivation-How the Nick
names Game to be Attached.

states and territories and 3 glance IT
their derivation would serve Ito give 8
rough sketch of the makeup OF our
United States, if no detailed history
were obteinable in books. All the thir-
teen original states but Connecticut and
| Massachusetts have names directly bor-
rowed from England; the central states
and territories, from Kentucky and Tenn
essee to Minnesota and Dakota, are of
Indian nomenclature; while the names
Florida, Texas, California and Nevada
perpetuate the recollection of former
Spanish occupancy. The Evanston Qli.)
! High School Journal gives very goou
list of the derivation of the names and
nicknames of our commonwealth and
territories:
Alabams-The name is of Indisn origin,
signifying "Here we Rest"
Arizona Territory-An Indian word
meaning "Sand Hills"
Arksnsas-FreRch and IndianNE word
signifying "Bow of Smoky Waters" 1t
is also named the "Besr State" from the
number OF these animals formerly found
there.
Califofni.-From Spanish words mean
ing "Hot Furnace" Also called "Goldep
State" y r
Colorado-From Spanish word messing
"Colored." Called the centennial
State" because admitted in 1876.
Connecticut-An Indian name signify
ing "The Long River" The nicknames
are "Freestone State" "Nutmeg State"
and Gland OF Steady Habits"
Dakota - Indian word meaning GAL
lied"
Delaware-Named in houor Of Lord
Delaware. 1t is called "Tne 'DiSnUD0
State" from its small size and int, insic
value. Also "Rlue Hen State"
| Florida-From the Spanish, meaning
"Flowery," so called from the abundance
of flowers and the day easter Sunday
upon which it was discovered. From its
shape it is sometimes called 'The PENN
sulsr State"
Georgts Named in honor of King
George II of England. The nickname is
"The Empire State of the South"
Illinois-An Indian name signifying "A
Superior Tribe Of Men" The sobriquet
is "Prairie State" and also "Sucker
State"
Indiana-It is so called from the In
dians. The nickname is "The Hoosier
State."1
Iowa-An Indian word meaning "The
Beautiful Land" The fictitious name is
"Hawkeye State"
Kansss-An Indian word signifying
"Smoky Water" The sobriquet is Gear
den of the West"
Kentucky-An Indian word signifying
"The Dark and Bloody Ground" from
its being fevorite Indian hunting
ground. The nickname is "Tae Corn
cracker States
Louisiana in honor of King
Louis XIV. Of France. Sobriquet, "Cre-
ole State"
Maine-So called from Maine in
France. Fictitious name is "The Pine
Tree ate."
Msryland-Named in Honor of Queen
Maria, wife of Charles II of England.
Massachusetts-An Indian name signi-
| flying "Blue Hills" The fa1ciful name
is "'The Bay State"
Michigan-An Indian word meaning
''The Lake Country" It is nicknamed
"The Lake State" also "The Wolverine
State"
Minnesota-From the Indian word
meaning "Whitish or Sky Colored Va
ter" II is cslled "The Gopher State"
Mississippi-An Indian name meaning
'Father OF Waters" NicknEmed 'sThe
Bayou State"
Missouri-An Indian word meaning
'fMuddy Waters"
| Nebr -ska-An Indian word meaning
"Shallow Water" the Missouri and Platte
rivers being Of little depth.
Nevada-Spanish, signifying "Snow
Clsd."
New Hampsbire-Named from Hsmp-
shire county, England. The sobriquet is
1.-THE Granite State"
New Jersev-Named for grantee, Sir
George Carteret, Governor of the Isle Of
Jersey. The sobriquet is "The Jersey
Blue"
New Mexico-Spanish; named from the
country of Mexico, meaning "The Place
OF Aztec-God of War"
New York-Named fnhonor Of the Duke
OF York and Albany. 1t is called "The
Empire State"
North Carolina-Named, with South
Carolina, in honor of Charles l. of En-
gland. The fictitious names are 'The Old
North State" "The Tar State" andaThe
Turpentine Stste."
Ohio AN Indian word signifying
Beautiful River" Nickname "Buckeye
State"
Oregon-Name derived from the Span
ish for "Wild Thyme" which is sbun-
dant there.
nnsylvanis-"Penn's Woodland is
the Specification; the grantee was William
Penn, and the country is covered with
forests. The eobriquet is ''The Keystone
State" from its central position, the key
stone of an arch.
Rhode Islam Named from the Isle of
Rhodes IN the Mediterranean. Rhode
signifies "A Rose" Nicknamed "Little
Rhody."
South Caroiina-Named in the same
manner as North Carolina, which see.
The sobriquet is "The Palmetto State"
Tennessee-Derivedf from Indian words
signifying "River Of the Big Bend" It
is nicknamed "The Big Bend State"
Texas - Spanish; said to signify
"Friend" It is nicknamed "The Lone
Star State"
Utah-Nsmed from the Ute Indians.
Vermont-From the French; signifying
"Green Mountains" 1t is called the
"Green Mountain State"
Virgina-Named for Elizabeth, Queen
of England, the "Virgin Queen" It is